NORTHERN BIRDING TOUR

Tour Description

* This tour is available for any dates of your choosing provided guide services and accommodations are available.

DAY 1 - ALAJUELA

International flights arrive in the afternoon or evening. Everyone gathers at the Hotel Aeropuerto, a 5-minute taxi ride from the international airport. Night in Alajuela.

DAY 2 - LA ENSENADA

Early departure for La Ensenada, located about 3 hours drive north of Alajuela. This reserve features a combination of lowland dry scrub, dry forest, pastures, and mangroves. Key species likely at this locale include Crested Bobwhite, Double-striped Thick-knee, Sandwich Tern, Pacific Screech-Owl, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Plain-capped Starthroat, Steely-vented Hummingbird, Orange-chinned Parakeet, Orange-fronted Parakeet, Nutting's Flycatcher, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Rose-throated Becard, White-throated Magpie-Jay, Banded Wren, White-lored Gnatcatcher, Stripe-headed Sparrow, Streak-backed Oriole, and Spot-breasted Oriole. In addition, Nicaraguan Grackle may be expanding its range into the area as we saw several on our recent visit. Finally, the lodge staff often know where Pacific Screech-Owl roosts near the lodge. Boat trips into the mangroves are prohibitively expensive with less than 4 persons in the group. A boat trip (not included in tour price) may produce Mangrove Cuckoo, Mangrove Hummingbird, and Panama Flycatcher as well as many wetland birds. Night at La Ensenada Lodge.

DAY 3 - LA ENSENADA & MONTEVERDE

Morning birding the grounds at La Ensenada. Transfer to Monteverde for late lunch there. Afternoon bird access road to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and visit hummingbird feeders outside the entrance. These attract up to 10 species of hummingbirds including Green-fronted Lancebill, Magnificent Hummingbird, Magenta-throated Woodstar, Stripe-tailed Hummingbird, and the endemic Coppery-headed Emerald. Night at De Lucia Inn.

DAY 5 - SELVATURA & BIJAGUA

Morning birding the higher elevation forest at Selvatura. The trail there goes through very good montane forest and traverses some 9 ravines by quite stable suspension bridges that provide a view of forest canopy. The key species typically seen there is Three-wattled Bellbird, which calls loudly from treetops during nesting season. Other likely possibilities include Black Guan, Buff-fronted Quail-Dove, Resplendent Quetzal, Orange-bellied Trogon, Black-banded Woodcreeper, and White-eared Ground-Sparrow. After lunch transfer to the Bijagua area. After arrival bird the lodge grounds. Of particular interest there is White-tipped Sicklebill, which regularly visits Heliconia flowers along the entrance road. Night at Celeste Mountain Lodge.

DAY 6 - HELICONIA LODGE GROUNDS

All day will be spent birding trails around Heliconia Lodge, located about 30 minutes drive from Celeste Mountain Lodge. The lodge grounds are considered by those in the know to offer some of the best birding in Costa Rica when its not too dry. The accommodations at Heliconia are more rustic, but it is possible and actually more convenient to stay there. Trails are through secondary forest on lodge property with some up and down. Of particular interest is the possibility of finding an army ant swarm with attendant followers, notable Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo, Bicolored Antbird, and Ocellated Antbird. These are most readily found early in dry season, namely Jan-Feb. Other notable birds possible there include Black-crested Coquette, Tody Motmot, White-fronted Nunbird, Yellow-eared Toucanet, Sharpbill, Spotted Antbird, Long-tailed Manakin, White-ruffed Manakin, Nightingale Wren, and Song Wren. Night at Celeste Mountain Lodge.

DAY 7 - BIJAGUA & ARENAL

Morning drive up the road to a likely site for Lovely Cotinga if it's still being reported. Open canopy trees near the bridge have been fairly reliable for this rare species. Late morning transfer to Arenal, arriving at the lodge for lunch. Afternoon bird trails on the lodge grounds. Night at Arenal Observatory Lodge.

DAY 8 - FORTUNA & ARENAL AREA

A private reserve near Fortuna is a stake-out for several rare rails, so this morning will be spent there. The site has been reliable for White-throated Crake and Uniform Crake along with the much more easily seen Gray-cowleed Wood-Rail. A trail through extensive forest offers a few additional species such as Olivaceous Piculet, Black-cheeked Woodpecker, and Plain Xenops. Then bird the waterfall trail within Arenal National Park. This trail goes down quite steeply, so an alternative is to return to the extensive trails around the lodge instead. The waterfall trail is a good place to look for Lanceolated Monklet. After lunch bird trails around the lodge. Extensive forest offers numerous interesting species including Great Curassow, Smoky-brown Woodpecker, White-fronted Parrot, Russet Antshrike, Spotted Antbird, Bare-necked Umbrellabird, Stripe-breasted Wren, Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush, Golden-crowned Warbler, Black-and-yellow Tanager, Olive Tanager, and Yellow-crowned Euphonia. Night at Arenal Observatory Lodge.

DAY 9 - ARENAL & SARAPIQUI

Morning bird trails around Arenal Observatory Lodge. After lunch transfer to Sarapiqui on the Caribbean slope. Following check-in at the lodge, bird some sites around Puerto Viejo. The main target species there are Canebrake Wren, a split from Plain Wren, and Gray-crowned Yellowthroat. Raptors such as White Hawk, Gray-lined Hawk, and Bat Falcon are also possible. Night at La Quinta Inn.

DAY 10 - LA SELVA BIOLOGICAL STATION

All day birding La Selva Biological Station, where over 400 species have been recorded. Access is restricted for most groups, but we can usually get exceptional access because our guides are Costa Rican and most have previously worked at La Selva. Birding is along the entrance road, in the clearing around the visitor center, and along an extensive network of trails through primary and secondary forest. It's preferable to bird the forest interior early when bird activity is at its best. Several hundred species are possible and we see different ones on every visit, which is typical when birding in rainforest. Possibilities include Great Tinamou, Semiplumbeous Hawk, Chestnut-colored Woodpecker, Pale-billed Woodpecker, Fasciated Antshrike, Great Antshrike, Black-crowned Antshrike, Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Bare-necked Umbrellabird, White-collared Manakin, Crimson-collared Tanager, Golden-hooded Tanager, Dusky-faced Tanager, and many more. If an army ant swarm is encountered, obligate and opportunistic army ant followers such as Bicolored Antbird, Ocellated Antbird, Gray-headed Tanager and Red-throated Ant-Tanager are very possible. It's worth spending all day at La Selva, with a rest during the hot part of the day back at the lodge. Night at La Quinta Inn.

DAY 11 - GUAPILES & BRAULIO CARRILLO

A local guide has a site where he can lure out the very secretive Thicket Antpitta for good viewing and photos. The morning will be spent with him. Various other birds could be seen as well, including Short-billed Pigeon, Crested Owl, which the same guide often has staked out, Great Potoo, Cinnamon Woodpecker, and Pale-billed Woodpecker. After a couple hours with him, continue down the road with a short stop near El Tapir Nature Reserve to look for Snowcap, Black-crested Coquette, Violet-headed Hummingbird, and Blue-throated Goldentail. Then bird one or two trails in Braulio Carrillo National Park. The area around Braulio Carrillo is often very rainy, so this part of the morning is optional. The birding can be very good, especially for mixed species tanager flocks. Some of the notable birds thinclude Tawny-crested Tanager, Blue-and-gold Tanager, Emerald Tanager, and Ashy-throated Chlorospingus. Other possibilities include Yellow-eared Toucanet, Tawny-throated Leaftosser, Sharpbill, Tawny-faced Gnatwren, White-throated Shrike-Tanager, Tawny-capped Euphonia, and possibly a forest-falcon. After lunch back at the lodge, transfer back to Alajuela, arriving before dark. Night at Hotel Aeropuerto.